ato3phconverter

How a Variable Frequency Drive Works

Knowledge / March 9, 2022 / Leave a Comment

Using a variable frequency drive (VFD) can save you on energy costs and consumption. VFDs can also tighten processes, reduce maintenance, increase production, and prolong the life of your equipment. What Is a VFD? A VFD or variable frequency drive is an electronic device used to control an AC induction motor or synchronous motor. A VFD controls the torque, speed, and direction of the motor, smoothly starting and accelerating the motor to the desired speed at a controlled acceleration rate.  Deceleration is also controlled, and braking is available as an option. VFDs allow you to use a single motor for …

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VFD Troubleshooting and Preventive Maintenance

Instructions, Products / March 9, 2022 / Leave a Comment

Modern VFDs are designed to be reliable and the internal failures are led to minimum. Still problems outside of the drive contribute to a large number of drive failures and are a major cause of nuisance tripping. Fast troubleshooting and failure preventing are crucial for the modern manufacturing. Single variable frequency drive failure may cause a complete manufacturing system to stop producing which will cause losses to the business. Implementing redundant systems in critical operations assures the operation of the process if one unit fails.Having skilled maintenance technicians, trained to troubleshoot the system as fast as possible and minimize the down …

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Balancing Output Voltage of Rotary Converter

Instructions / March 9, 2022 / Leave a Comment

What’s the deal with the output voltage of a 3 phase rotary converter? Why does the output voltage seem to be so inconsistent? What can be done about this? To address this, we first need to understand how the rotary phase converter produces 3 phase electricity. Second, we need to understand why that voltage can be so variable. Finally, we need to look at ways to address this voltage imbalance. How does a Rotary Phase Converter work? In a single phase electrical system, there are 2 hot wires. A 3 phase electrical service adds a 3rd hot wire. A 3 …

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Single Phase to Three Phase Conversion

Instructions, Knowledge / June 5, 2024 / Leave a Comment

What is phase conversion? A phase converter is a device that produces three-phase electrical power from a single-phase source, allowing the operation of three-phase equipment at a site that only has single-phase electrical service. Why would I need phase conversion? A large number of applications and equipment once considered “industrial” require three-phase power. The general use of three-phase equipment is increasing on farms and ranches, in home wood and metal shops, or in other locations where utility-provided 3-phase isn’t readily available. Even when 3-phase is available nearby, the costs of bringing in new service, adding additional transformers and wire can …

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Why Is My Phase Converter Voltage High?

Knowledge / March 9, 2022 / Leave a Comment

We get asked all the time, “why is the voltage of the one line so much higher than the other two?” All traditional phase converters are high leg delta. This means that when using your meter you will measure 120 volts to ground on two of the three lines, but around 240 volts to ground on the third. This is perfectly normal and will work just fine for most motor loads. Here are some pictures of what you might be seeing. Traditional phase converters create only the 3rd line. The other two lines are left untouched. In a phase converter, the …

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How to Run a 3 Phase Motor on Single Phase Power

Instructions / March 9, 2022 / Leave a Comment

Motors usually come in two different types, single or three phase. The number of phases on the motor is determined by how the motor is wound. It is easy to find out how many phases your motor has by looking at one of two factors. First, you can check the motor nameplate data which is usually located on a paper or metal label attached to the side of the motor. Second you can simply look at the number of electrical leads coming out of the motor. If your motor has three black leads and a green lead then it is …

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How Do You Balance Voltage in a Rotary Phase Converter?

Instructions / March 9, 2022 / Leave a Comment

For years, many companies have used (and continue to use) the inexpensive method of “stacking” run capacitors in order to get a phase converter started. Those capacitors are not taken out of the circuit once the phase converter is running, which results in extremely high voltage and current imbalance. This condition causes current overloads that will burn out motors that are smaller than what the phase converter was sized for (ie. running a 2HP mill on a 40HP converter). Furthermore, this condition will ultimately cause the phase converter itself to burn out. The justification for continuing to build phase converters …

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How to Properly Operate a Three-Phase Motor Using Single-Phase Power?

Instructions / March 9, 2022 / Leave a Comment

There are several methods to operating a three-phase motor using single-phase power to make what would be an otherwise expensive and arduous process a little easier. Three-phase power involves three symmetrical sine waves that are 120 electrical degrees out of phase with one another (See Figure 1). One method of converting single-phase power that worked well for decades was connecting two phases to the incoming 220 V single-phase power and create a “phantom leg” for the third phase by using capacitors to force an offset between the main and auxiliary windings. In this case, the offset is 90 electrical degrees. …

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Can a VFD Convert Single-Phase Power to Three-Phase?

Instructions, Knowledge / March 9, 2022 / Leave a Comment

Using VFDs To Convert Single-Phase To Three-Phase Can a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) convert my single-phase power supply to run a three-phase motor? Many who call us are looking at the ability to combine phase conversion and speed control in one device and like the potential to save money, hassle, and space. Like most things, however, there is not a simple answer to this question. Single-phase AC power is common in many residential and agricultural settings, although it can also be seen in some industrial locations. It typically will only have two phases (L1 & L2) and possibly a neutral. …

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VFDs for Single Phase Applications

Instructions / March 7, 2022 / Leave a Comment

VFDs and Single Phase AC Motors As a 3 phase converter supplier providing technical support, we had a lot of farm and agricultural customers. Their applications ranged from running fans, pumps, elevators, agitators, augers, conveyors, etc. The farm installations often didn’t have access to three-phase power and had to make do with single-phase 230V. People often wanted to run the motors at reduced speeds so they asked, “Is it possible to add a VFD to my single phase motor?” In general, single-phase motors cannot be run with VFDs.  However, it is possible to input a single-phase to a VFD and output …

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